29 March 2012

THE UK BORDER AGENCY RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CHIEF INSPECTOR’S REPORT ON AN UNANNOUNCED INSPECTION OF CROYDON PUBLIC ENQUIRY OFFICE 1. Recommendation 1: We recommend that the UK Border Agency: i) sets a clear target for the end-to-end process ii) communicates this to customers and iii) measures its performance against this target. 1.1 i-ii: accepted; iii accepted in principle 1.2 We accept the Inspectorate’s findings that customer expectations about the length of their visit to the Croydon Public Enquiry Office are not as well managed as they could be at present, and that there is ambiguity between the internal target (to process 90% of premium applications within 24 hours) and external references to a same-day service. 1.3 The UK Border Agency will take forward a number of actions to address these areas for improvement, including: • Ensuring that information on the website, and provided through the call centre and within Public Enquiry Offices around the UK, is regularly updated to accurately reflect average waiting times and better manage customer expectations of processing times (see recommendation 2 below). • Developing a “stretch target” for Croydon Public Enquiry Office’s end-to-end processing of applications as part of our strategy to achieve customer service excellence. • Reviewing processes within Croydon Public Enquiry Office to ensure that all opportunities to make the process as quick as possible for the customer are exploited. • Clarifying in our communications that the service standard for the UK Border Agency’s premium route is decision of an application within 24 hours for 90% of cases (allowing for cases that may require further investigation), but that for the vast majority of individuals presenting themselves to a Public Enquiry Office in person (i.e. not through a third party representative) this will mean leaving with their decision on the day of their appointment. 1.4 A national lead has been appointed to oversee the Public Enquiry Office network nationally, and will review service standards and performance as part of this work. 1.5 The UK Border Agency accepts in principle the need to measure end-to-end processing times in Public Enquiry Offices. Recent systems changes to facilitate the introduction of online booking (which the inspection report indicates has been favourably received by customers) mean that there is no longer the facility to generate management information about processing times for the end-to-end premium service process. As an interim measure, we propose to undertake manual sampling of a proportion of the customers in Croydon Public Enquiry Office to get a picture of processing times. (It would be prohibitively costly and time consuming to do this for all customers visiting Croydon PEO given the volume of customers seen every day). 3 2. Recommendation 2: We recommend that the UK Border Agency review the information on its website and in the Croydon PEO to ensure it accurately reflects the level of service being provided, with particular reference to waiting times. 2.1 Accepted 2.2 In response to the inspection, we have already undertaken a full review of the information on the UK Border Agency website relating to the premium service offered in Public Enquiry Offices to ensure that this accurately reflects the service provided and gives a better idea of likely processing times for our customers. 2.3 We have already introduced a daily check in the Croydon PEO to ensure that information displayed is accurate and appropriately branded. 2.4 There are screens displaying pre-recorded information in the Public Enquiry Office in Croydon. These are now out of date. In the short term, we have arranged for the screens to be turned off. We will take forward action with the commercial provider to update the information on the screens, including branding and information relating to expected processing times.

Please find below my queries

- It has been 2 years since findings and report response from PEO Croydon Why is there no still no clarity in service standards of remaining 10% premium applications time line ? How does one know they are achieving 90% standard?

-Classic example is my case on the day of interview I was told due to technical reasons my file was not located and sent away that some one will contact me earliest Its been more then 3 weeks no response so far.

- Report response claims customer service will be worked on such cases and I have rang couple of times to customer service number and a standard answer is do not contact till 6 months time frame.

As a customer I have tried all possible means to make them aware of my situation and nothing has been done. It is misleading system for some of us who have urgent travel plans having a critically ill family member trusting to receive same day service.

Do you have any follow up system in place if they have achieved what has been quoted in report.

From: Chief Inspector UKBA
Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency

2 April 2012

Dear Roopa,

Thank you for your email to the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, dated 29 March 2012.

Once an inspection has taken place and the UK Border Agency has responded to the Chief Inspector's recommendations, it is then for the Agency to progress and implement those recommendations. The Chief Inspector may, on occasion, conduct re-inspections to review progress but generally, it is for Ministers to hold the Agency to account.

If you require further information regarding how the Agency is taking forward the Chief Inspector's recommendations for the Croydon Public Enquiry Office, I would recommend that you contact the Agency directly:

From: Roopa

2 April 2012

Dear Patricia

Thank you for reply

Based on your recommendation I will write to UK Border Agency FOI Team. I have no faith if it would be responded after my complaints have been ignored so far, I had filled complaint form, Rang the customer service, Posted my case information to PEO team as requested on this website and emailed customer service . No response at all so far just feel they have all been binned\deleted!

From: Roopa

24 April 2012

Dear Chief Inspector UKBA,

The outcome of my premium application over 6 weeks so far- UKBA PEO Croydon recommends me to withdraw application with no refund and as my status will then be illeagal i would have go back to my country reapply paying twice for visa application, Leave my husband he is currently recovering from Haemarrage and my full time job. All this hassle i have to undergo even though it was IT issue at PEO Croydon office.

You do quote there is no responsibility from your department that only conduct inspections and recommend Due this huge loophole i would state that UKBA is quite comfortable in responding to your reports that these recommendations will be implemented but they fail to follow them as there is no one holding them accountable they get away with it scott free with creating their own laws, timelines playing with our lives making it a living night mare.

No where to go for justice as no one wants to take any responsibility but only wash thier hands off...I cannot believe all this happens in a developed country like UK and officials in responsible position fail to take action.